How to Use Social Media Effectively as an Etsy Seller

Social media can be a powerful tool for growing an Etsy business, but it’s not always clear where to start. In her YouTube video, “How I Use Social Media To Get More Sales on Etsy?”, Hannah Gardner shares practical advice based on her personal experience managing her Etsy shop and brands. Whether you’re a new seller or looking to optimise your strategy, this video offers a refreshing perspective on the best ways to utilise social media without getting overwhelmed.

Hannah explains that when you’re just starting your Etsy journey, your energy is best spent mastering essential skills like photography, product pricing, and listing optimisation. Trying to create viral social media content simultaneously may stretch you too thin. She believes that from zero to your first thousand orders, the focus should remain on growing your Etsy business itself, as social media can become an all-consuming task that might not yield an immediate return on investment.

 

She also discusses the limitations of relying solely on Etsy as a selling platform. While Etsy provides visibility, its fee structure and lack of direct customer data ownership make it less ideal for long-term growth. Hannah suggests eventually driving traffic to a Shopify store, where sellers can own customer data and establish a more robust brand presence.

For those who want to maintain an active social media presence, Hannah shares a simple yet effective strategy. After a purchase, she sends a follow-up message encouraging customers to follow her Instagram account with the incentive of a discount code. This approach leverages loyal buyers to build a highly engaged Instagram audience.

 

Additionally, Hannah includes product inserts asking customers to tag her shop in their social media posts in exchange for another discount code. This generates user-generated content, which can be repurposed to grow the shop’s online presence organically. These methods require minimal effort but still foster customer relationships and drive traffic back to the Etsy shop.

Hannah acknowledges the potential of viral videos to transform a business but cautions against relying solely on this strategy, especially for beginners. Instead, she recommends prioritising Etsy ads and new product launches as these offer a more reliable return. She emphasises that social media becomes more impactful once you have the time and resources to make it a dedicated part of your business strategy.

 

If you’re just starting out or looking to refine your approach to social media and Etsy, Hannah’s video offers actionable insights. For more details and a deeper dive into her strategies, check out her full video on YouTube.